Well head assembly



1934- A. J. PENICK El AL 1,969,234

WELL HEAD AS SEMBLY Filed.April 20, 1951 gwwzntous ARTHUR J. PENICK,KIRBY T. PEmcK.

Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES I 1.969.234 WELL HEAD ASSEMBLYArthur J. Penick and Kirby T. Penick, Houston, Tex.

Application April 20, 1931, Serial No. 531,348

6 Claims. (CL 166-14) The invention relates to an improvement in wellhead assemblies wherein complete control of the'fiow of fluid from thecasing and from the tubing may be maintained at all times. In flowingthe fluid from oil wells it is often desirable to completely close edthe well in order to make repairs or alterations in the flow lines orvalves. As now practiced the tubing in the well extends upwardly fromthe casing and is connected with what has been designated as theChristmas tree, which comprises the branch lines, valves, pressuregauges and other instruments and fixtures which are desirable about thewell. If, however, any of these fixtures or fittings become disabledthrough wear or accident it is practically impossible to cut off theflow of fluid in order to make repairs. The present invention hastherefore been devised with the idea in view of so arranging thefittings that the flow from the well can be completely closed off andproper and suitable repairs made to the fittings on the well head asdesired.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a well head assemblywherein the tubing is supported in a hanger below the gate valve andwherein the Christmas tree fittings above the valve are swiveled to thevalve so that they may be aligned or repositioned as desired.

Another objector the invention is to provide a '30 tubing hanger andsupport therefor so that a seal may be obtained by means of steel tosteel ground joint about the hanger when it is locked in position sothat there will be no flow of fluid from inside of the casing to anypoint above the tubing hanger.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with atubing hanger a locking mechanism so that thehanger will be fixed inposition to form a seal without flexible packing for 40 the casing headgas.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a gatevalve '8. Christmas tree assembly which is adapted for circumferentialadjustment with respect to the gate valve and which may be anchored inany desired adjusted position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in combinationwith a well head assembly a gate valve which serves as a connectionbetween the tubing disposed above and below such valve.

A still further object is to provide a gate valve which will serve as asand trap in the string of. tubing.

A still further object of the invention is to prov vide pressure gaugesin connection with the casing' head and the tubing head so that thepressure in each of these members may be accurately determined. I

Another object is to provide a gate valve which is so disposed thattubing may be attached above and below the valve so that the flow fromthe casing may be taken off below the valve and the fiow from the tubingtaken of! above the valve.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent whenthe following descrip-. tion is considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

The drawing illustrates a side elevation of the well head assembly withcertain portions shown in section to illustrate the internalconstruction thereof. v

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a tubing headthat eliminates all metallic packing making so that the head will safelywithstand high temperatures in case of fire.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a tubing headthat permits the closing of the master gate with the tubing in the wellbore without making any adjustments to head.

The well casing is illustrated at 2 and may be of any desired diameterand is the casing which, extends upwardly from the well and is usuallyanchored to the earth by cementing or otherwise. A coupling 3 isillustrated as being connected to the casing and arranged to receive thehanger head or support head 4. This hanger head may be threadedinternally for connection to the casing if desired or threadedexternally to receive the coupling 3, as shown in the drawing. Extendingfrom this head 4 is a flow line 5, which is provided with a valve 6.This fiow line may be used during thedrilling operation as an exit forthe flushing fluid or for other purposes and is connected to thehanger'head by threading into the vent I. A similar vent 8 is providedon the opposite side of the hanger head and is here illustrated as beingclosed by the bull plug 9. A second flow line may be connected to thisvent 8, if desired. The hull plug 9 is shown as having been providedwith a gauge 10; so that the pressure inside of the casing or what isknown as the easing head pressure may be determined. A valve 11 is shownon the bull plug in order to control the operation of the valve 10 andthis valve may be closed so that it will serve to cut oil? the gauge inevent the gauge is to be removed or replaced.

The hanger head 4 is also constructed with an annular guide 14projecting inwardly below the inclined seat 15 for the hanger 17. Saidguide is engaged by the tubing and holds the collar thereon away fromthe seat 15 thus avoiding scoring or marring the seat, and thus assuringa seal at that point. The seat 15 is preferably ground and annular inconfiguration so that. the hanger 17, which is provided with a taperedshoulder 20, may form a seal and seat upon this inclined face 15. Theseal is necessary to prevent the passage of fluid, and the casing isthus entirely closed oil. at this point. Thus, the packing ringsordinarily required. are entirely eliminated and are not pres,- ent, tobe destroyed by fire or become otherwise unserviceable. It is intendedthat the weight of the tubing 18 will retain the hanger 17 in positionbut if desired a locking ring 21 may be pro-- vided and is so positionedabove the hanger 17 that it will serve as an anchoring means or lock--ing cap to hold the hanger against the seat and maintain a seal toprevent escape of gas from the casing. This ring or lock 21 is threadedinto the upper end of the head 4 so that it may be turned and screweddownwardly against the up- 1 per end of the hanger 17 to flrmly retainit in position. Said ring 21 is provided with a plurality of openings 22to receive a spanner wrench or otherv tool so that it maybe placed inposition or removed therefrom by manipulation of the wrench through thegate valve 23, which is positioned above the hanger head.

Another feature of advantage of the locking ring 21 is the fact that inevent the tubing should part at any'elevation below the hanger, the100k. ing ring would then hold the hanger in position. Thus if thetubing parted and sumcient pressure were present in the casing to liftthe hanger 17 and any tubing connected to it, then the hanger might bemoved upwardly into the valve housing and prevent closing of the valve.However, if the locking ring 21 is present any movement of the hanger isprevented.

The tubing hanger 17 is provided with two sets of threads 24 and 25.These threads are similar but of different diameter in order to receivetwo diameters of tubing. Above the threads 24 in, the center of thehanger is a third set of threads 26 which are adapted to receive a pieceof pipe or setting tool whereby the hanger and the string of tubing 18maybe set in the hanger head or removed therefrom by passing themthrough the gate valve 23.

The gate valve 23 is of usual construction and includes the gate whichis manipulated by operation of the handle 29 to close the passage 30through the body 31 of the valve. Thevalve is attached to the hangerhead 4 by threading or connection thereto as at 31 and is arranged toreceive on the upper side thereof a support structure or nipple 32. Thefittings above the gate valve are preferably supported on this adapteror support structure 32, which may be flanged or threaded to the gatevalve. The drawing illustrates this adapter as threaded at 33 to thevalve and serving as a closure for the upper portion of the valve exceptfor the outlet 34 through the upper end of the adapter.

Disposed above this adapter is the Christmas tree assembly 35, whichincludes the cross 36 flow lines 37,38 and 39, each of which is providedwith avalve 40. During the operation of the oil :well and removal of thefluid therefrom it often occurs that these iiowlines and valves becomedisabled due to wear on the valve member caused by high pressure of thefluid and abrasives carried by this fluid. Often articles come incontact with the lines and the valves so that they are accidently brokenor injured and it becomes necessary to replace them or to reassemble thelines when different conditions arise. It is, therefore, desirable tocut off the flow of fluid from this Christmas tree assembly gate valveis made by a nipple as at 41. This continuation or nipple is adapted tobe supported above the gate valve on the adapter32 by means of a swivelconnection 42.

This swivel connection is provided so that the cross 36 or the entireChristmas tree assembly may be moved circumferentially for the purposesof adjustment or to align the flow lines in such a position that repairsor alterations may be made. a

The swivel 42 comprises a body 43, which is flanged at 44 in order toform a shoulder 45. This shoulder in turn receives the clamping plate46, which is of such size that it will pass over the body 43 and engagethe shoulder 45. Suitable anchor bolts 47 pass through the plate and arethreaded into the nipple 32. Below the body 43 a pressure ring 48 ispositioned in such a manner that its upper and lower edges extendrespectively into groove 49 in the bottom of the swivel body 43 and intothe groove 50 in the top of the adapter or support structure 32. Withthis arrangement it is possible to adjust the bolts 47 so that theclamping plate 46 will be loosened and permit circumferential adjustmentof the cross 35, the tubing section 41 and the swivel body 43. When theproper adjustment has been obtained the bolts are again screweddownwardly to bring the clamping plate into locking position so that theswivel will be held in fixed position and a seal maintained about theupper end of the nipple 32. With this particular type of swivel it ispossible to adjust the Christmas tree without entirely removing the sameand by merely loosening the nuts holding the plates 46 in position. Ifit is desired to make alterations in the fittings or lines of theChristmas tree the handle 29 of the valve 23 may be rotated to close thegate and shut off the entire Christmas tree assembly from the well.

This arrangement of the device eliminates the necessity of removing thetubing or separating the tubing in order to close the gate valve andfacilitates materially the closing of the gate valve in event ofemergency. The gate valve.

the support head and the casing may be used during thedrilling operationand when the drilling of the well is completed and it is desired to settubing the tubing may be passed into the well with the hanger 17positioned on the uppermost section of tubing. The hanger is passed intothe well by connecting a section of pipe or setting tool to the threads26. When the hanger has been seated on the shoulders 15 or 16 thesetting tool is then removed and the locking ring 21 is passed inthrough the gate valve and screwed into position to latch the hanger onits seat. The nipple 32 may then be placed in position and excessivepressure are encountered the valve 23 may be closed and, by manipulationof the valve 0, the pressure may be materially reduced in the naeaagswell and the flow line again opened. It will be seen that an advantageis obtained by the seal of the hanger with the hanger head because thiseliminates much casing head pressure from passing into the gate valveand also eliminates any accumulation of sand or other material in thegate valve housing except such abrasive-as may flow upwardly with theoil. The gate valve 23 serves as a sand trap for small amounts ofabrasive and in this manner reduces the cutting action on the valves 40and the other fittings of the Christmas tree. The present assemblyeliminates the use of tubing separators and gate valves on the casingand tubing as the single valve 23 serves to out off the entire flow fromthe well when considered in combination with the valve 6 on the flowline extending from the hanger head.

What we claim is:

l. A well head assembly including a casing, a gate valve thereon, astring of tubing suspended below said valve, an upper string of tubingsupported above and upon said valve, a sealed swivel joint connectingsaid upper string of tubing to said valve to allow relative rotationwithout longitudinal movement, said valve being adapted to serve as theconnection between said two strings of tubing.

2. The combination with a gate valve in a well head assembly, of anadapter connected thereto, a nipple, and a non-threaded swivelconnection between said adapter and nipple whereby rotation of saidnipple with respect to said valve may be had, said nipple being fixed tosaid swivel connection.

3. In a well head assembly the combination with a gate valve, of aChristmas tree assembly supported thereabove, a tubing suspended belowsaid valve, and swivel means connecting said Christmas tree assembly tosaid valve whereby said assembly may be turned without axial movement tomake flow line connections.

4. In a well head assembly the combination with a gate valve, of atubing supported there above, a tubing suspended below said valve, asealed swivel joint connecting said supported tubing to said valve,adapted to permit relative rotation without longitudinal displacement,and additional means to lock said suspended tubing in position.

5. The combination of a gate valve, Christmas tree assembly, and meansconnecting said valve and assembly including a swivel whereby saidassembly may be adjusted circumferentially without longitudinal movementand fixed in such. adjusted position.

6. In a well head assembly, the combination with a casing, of a supporthead on said casin a sealing seat in said head adapted to receive andsupport a tubing hanger, a tubing hanger thereon, and means to anchorsaid tubing hanger against vertical displacement; a gate valve mountedabove said support head, and a swivel connection above said valve, saidswivel permitting rotation without axial displacement of the fittingslocated above and attached thereto.

- ARTHUR J. PENICK.

, KIRBY T. PENICK.

